College Tidbits Blog

Having grown up in the Chicago inner city, I am the benefactor of the help and support of many people.

From concerned people in the community to high school coaches and teachers, you name it and they played a part in keeping me on the straight and narrow.

There were many heroes when I was growing up, helping to make a difference. I might very well owe my life to these heroes of the neighborhood.

Heroes still exist today. One such hero today is Laura Wilson of Wilson Daily Prep an online ACT & SAT test preparation website. Laura recently created GraphItForward.org a website that encourages people to donate their old unused graphing calculators. New graphing calculator can cost $100 or more and are not affordable for many disadvantaged students.

According to ACT Inc., the math problems on the “Mathematics” portion of the ACT exam can be solved without a calculator. However, students that take the ACT or SAT without a calculator are often at a disadvantage without one.

How Can I Help?

• Mail your used graphing calculator to us here
• Organize a used calculator collection drive. Contact us for a special GIFT collection box to place in your lobby or office.
• Help spread the word by emailing our “Pass It Forward” letter to your friends and colleagues. (Download Here)
• Visit their website www.graphitforward.org to learn more.
• Contact them at 1-800-888-0692 or info@graphitforward.org if you have questions.

Spread the Word!

Important Links!

• How do I know if my old calculator is a graphing calculator?
• ACT Inc. Math Exam Facts
• SAT Test Day tips
• Graph It Forward Home Page
• Wilson Daily Prep

Myrna Brady, a 79 year old woman, graduated from Governors State University this past Saturday, June 12, 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. Governors State University is located in the Chicago South Suburbs, just 35 miles south of Chicago.

This story is near and dear to my heart because Myrna happens to be my mother-In-law.

It was always her dream to return to college and graduate. But she was willing to delay finishing college when she was 18 to get married, then assist her husband in his new ministry and over the years raise 6 daughters.

By the way, each of her daughters are college graduates, three of them have advance degrees. Yesterday she joined them as a college graduate.

In an age where people are always leaving things undone, we salute you for never giving up on your dream!

College life can be exciting and rewarding, and possessing a degree will increase earning power over your lifetime dramatically.

It is estimated that 63% of high school seniors across the country will go on to attend college, with fully one third of them transferring universities at some point.

With the multitude of schools available to today’s potential enrollee across the country, being able to find the college that perfectly suits your career aspirations and financial needs is no easy task.

Often college transfers are desirable to facilitate changes in your life or better suit your academic aspirations. There are many good reasons cited for college transfers, so coming to the realization that your current school is not the best fit and moving on should not be seen as an admission of failure, but rather as an opportunity to make a change in a positive direction.

If you have started your collegiate career at a community college, a transfer to a traditional four year university can be a welcome change and fresh challenge.

Often students initiate college transfers once their grades are high enough to attend a more prestigious school with more respected academic traditions. Such a move can boost earning power once you have graduated.

Financial considerations are also a frequently listed reason for college transfers. Often students will begin their academic studies at a local community college to save money then transfer to a university after a year or two. Such a move could easily save tens of thousands of dollars.

Some students also choose to transfer to another school because they can no longer afford the college they are attending. Financial aid is a terrific means to help pay for schooling, but many students find that the out of pocket costs of living on campus and attending school full-time are far more than they expected.

There are also social or family reasons for college transfers. Some students find that the culture at the college they attend is not to their liking. This can be true of both students who feel that the party scene is too intense and distracting, and those who oppositely feel that there are not enough social activities to suit their needs.

Family obligations can also necessitate that a student transfer to a school nearer a sick or needy relative. Some college transfers are also simply undertaken by the homesick teenager to be closer to home.